Coalition Of 78 Organizations Calls For 125000 Refugee Admissions Goal
Refugee Organizations Urge Congress to Restore US Refugee Admissions Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A broad coalition of 78 national, state, and local refugee organizations has released a joint letter to Congress, urging lawmakers to take immediate action to restore the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and protect vulnerable refugees worldwide. The letter comes in response to what the groups describe as “troubling signals” from the administration ahead of the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Presidential Determination (PD) on refugee admissions.
The coalition, which includes refugee resettlement agencies, direct service providers, faith-based groups, and human rights advocates, is specifically calling for a Presidential Determination of 125,000 refugee admissions for FY26. They assert that this number is necessary to reflect both the scale of global need and the more than 120,000 refugees who are already conditionally approved for resettlement but have been left in limbo.
The letter raises serious concerns about reports of discriminatory resettlement selection practices, which they claim are prioritizing a small group of Afrikaners while cutting admissions for other refugees who have been waiting for years. The organizations criticize the administration for gutting assistance programs and dismantling the nation’s capacity to welcome displaced people.
Leaders from various organizations, including Refugee Council USA (RCUSA), Refugee Congress, and HIAS, have issued statements emphasizing the moral and legal imperative to restore the USRAP. They argue that a robust refugee program is not only a matter of humanitarian concern but also essential for upholding American values and strengthening local communities.
The groups highlight several populations in urgent need of resettlement, including Rohingya, Sudanese, Ethiopian, and Eritrean refugees, as well as at-risk Afghans, LGBTQI+ refugees, and people fleeing Venezuela, Ukraine, and China.
The coalition’s call to action is a direct response to what they see as a betrayal of long-standing bipartisan commitments to refugee protection and resettlement. They urge both the administration and Congress to act with urgency to reverse current policies and reaffirm the United States’ role as a leader in providing safety and security to those fleeing persecution and conflict.
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